Lighter casing fastener



Sept. 2, 1969 s. H. NEWMAN LIGHTER CASING FASTENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 20, 1967 5TANLEY H A/EWMAM Sept. 2, 1969 s. H. NEWMAN 3,464,777

LIGHTER CASING FASTENER Filed Oct. 20, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3,464,777 LIGHTER CASING FASTENER Stanley Herbert Newman, New York, N.Y., assignor to Societe Franco-Hispano-Americaine Francispam Filed Oct. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 676,886 Claims priority, application France, Nov. 9, 1966, 83,135; Mar. 8, 1967, 97,925 Int. Cl. F23q 2/18 US. Cl. 431-142 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention The invention relates to cigar and cigarette lighters having replaceable reservoirs of gas, such as butane, as a fuel supply.

Summary of the invention The invention resides in a novel mounting of the gas reservoir and ignition means within a frame member enclosed between two outer casing halves which in turn, are releasably secured to said frame member by at least one moveable bolt member mounted on said continuous member and actuated by a moveable control member extending through said outer casing halves and the frame member to retain said halves, reservoir and its mounting member in fixed relation.

One object of the invention is to provide a lighter assembly of the character described wherein the said moveable control member in locking position retains both outer casing halves in assembled relation and in released position releases the casing halves for separation.

Another object of the invention is to provide means on said casings for cooperation with said moveable control member for initial separation of the casing member by movement in one direction and for locking up the casing members against separation by movement in the opposite direction.

Description of the drawing FIGURE 1 shows the lighter in side elevation with a portion of the casing broken away to show the relation of the moveable control member with the reservoir mounting member.

FIGURE 2 shows a plan view of the lighter, the easing opening for the flame and the casing opening for the ignition control member.

FIGURE 3 shows an enlarged partial side elevation of the lighter of FIGURE 1 and details of the control member in unlocked position.

FIGURE 4 shows an enlarged partial side elevation of the lighter of FIGURE 3 with the control member in locking relation with the casing members.

FIGURE 5 shows a partial side elevation of a modified form of the control member and locking means in unlocked position. 7

FIGURE 6 shows a partial side elevation taken on lines VIVI of FIGURE 5 illustrating the partial separation of the casing halves by the control member positioned as in FIGURE 5.

ited States Patent C) 3,464,777 Patented Sept. 2, 1969 ice FIGURE 7 shows the control member of FIGURE 5 in locked position, and

FIGURE 8 shows the relation of the control member to the casing halves, as positioned in FIGURE 7 taken on lines VHI--VIII of FIGURE 7.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring now to FIGURES 1 to 4 of the drawing, the lighter outer casing is comprised of the members 1 and 2, as best shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Each member 1 and 2, comprises an outer face portion and opposing peripheral flanges 1 and 2 respectively, to complete the enclosure. At the top edge of the lighter, FIGURE 2, said flanges 1 and 2 are provided with semi-arcuate matching openings providing an outlet 6 for the lighter flame. Additionally, each flanges 1 and 2 and the casing members 1 and 2 are cut out, as at 7, to expose the conventional ignition control mechanism 4.

Disposed between the casing members 1 and 2, as best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, is a non-continuous band shaped member 3 whose end portions may be suitably connected, as shown, with the ignition control mechanism 4 and whose intermediate position is enclosed by the casing bottom flanges 1 and 2*. The gaseous fuel reservoir 5 is suitably connected with said control mechanism 4 and is also disposed within band shaped member 3.

Means for retaining the two casing members 1 and 2 in assembled relation with the band 3 and for releasing the members 1 and 2 therefrom for separation to provide access to the ignition means 4 and reservoir 5 are best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawing. Casing members 1 and 2 each have, at one side of the lighter, slotted opening-s 16 similar to openings 26 and 26' of FIGURE 8 of the drawing. Such openings 16 and 16' may terminate in similar arcuate end portions such as 26 and 26 of FIGURE 6, or one arcuate end portion in casing 1 may be shaped similar to 26 of FIGURE 6. Suitable shaped openings 15 are also provided in the underlying portion of band 3 for reception of push button 17. Overlying said openings 16, 16' of the casing members 1 and 2 is a slideable push button 17 having depending therefrom a shank portion 14 extending through openings 15 in band 3 and terminating in a shoe or wedging member 13.

As shown in FIGURE 3 the push button portion 17 and shoe member 13 are of greater linear length and width than the slotted band and easing openings 15 and 16 respectively. Disposed within the band member 3 is a convex leaf spring member 10 of a width to overlap flanges 1 and 2 of the casing member 1 and 2 and fixed at one end to the adjacent face of band 3 by a suitable member 11. The opposite end of member 10 is disposed between the adjacent faces of member 13 and band 3. Intermediate the ends of spring member 10 are secured a pair of transversely spaced pin members 9 disposed in suitable openings 12 in band 3 and aligned with suitable recesses 8 in the adjacent casing flange portions 1 and 2*.

Referring now to FIGURES .3 and 4, the casing halves 1 and 2 as initially assembled upon opposite sides of band 3 with the push button 17 in raised position, as shown in FIGURE .3. The portion 13 of the push button assembly is free of the gas reservoir 5 and the spring 10 is bowed to retract pins 9 to the position of FIGURE 3. Thereafter, the push button 17 is moved in the direction of arrow F (FIGURE 3) to the position shown in FIGURE 4. In so moving, the upper face of portion 13 of the push button assembly moving along the adjacent end of spring 10, deflects springs 10 causing the pins 9 associated therewith to penetrate openings 12 in the band 13 and to engage adjacent recesses 8 in the casing members 1 and 2. Concurrent with this movement of the push button 17, the portion 13 thereof engages the reservoir 5 to lock same and the associated control mechanism 4 in fixed relation to ring 3. Hence the assembly is now locked with the casing members restrained against separation, even if dropped from the hand. Should it be desired to separate the casing members 1 and 2, the push button 17 of FIGURE 4 can be moved in the direction of arrow to return the parts to the position of FIG- URE 3 by releasing spring 10 to retract locking pins 9 from engagement with the casing recesses 8. In this latter position the casing members 1 and 2 can be separated by the fingers to provide access to the gas reservoir and control mechanism 4 for any desired purpose.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 to 8 of the drawings illustrating a modified form of the invention, wherein the casing members 1 and 2 may be identical with the similarly number members of FIGURES 1 to 4, as are the band 3, reservoir 5 and ignition control mechanism 4. FIG- URES 6 and 8 illustrate the slotting of easing flanges 1 and 2 for reception of the shank portion 14 of push button 17*.

Push button 17 is provided with a shank portion 14 extending through the slotted openings 26 of the casing member flanges 1 and 2 and the slotted opening 15 of the band member 3 Secured to push button shank portion 14 by any suitable means such as pin 28, is slidable shoe member 23 having one end thereof underlying member 4 and the opposite arcuate end 23 extend along the adjacent inner face of band 3 in spaced relation thereto, with the end portion 23 abutting band 3. An arcuate shaped spring member 10, FIGURE 5, has mounted intermediate its ends transversly spaced pins 9 registering with openings through band 3 and adapted to engage recesses 8 in the adjacent face of casing portions 1 and 2". One end of member 10* is suitably attached to ring 3 by spur 11 and the opposite end of member 10 is engaged beneath portion 23 of member 23.

When assembling the casing members 1' and 2 with the ring member 3, one casing member such as 2 may be held in the hand. The ring 3 having assembled therewith the control mechanism 4, reservoir 5, push button 17, members 23 and 10 may be disposed upon casing section 2 with the push button portion. 14 disposed within slot 26' of member 2 Thereafter casing member 1 may be laid over casing member 2, in matching relation therewith and the button 17* moved downwardly in slots 26-26 of the casing members, as shown in FIG- URE 7. During movement of button 17*, the member 23 moves over member 10 flattening same to advance pins 9 thereon through ring 3 and into engagement with recesses 8 of both casing flanges 1 and 2 At this time stem 14 of the push button, engages with the bottom portions 26 and 26 and both casing sections 1 and 2 are locked into engagement with ring 3*. Additionally, during movement of push button 1'7 as described, the portion 23 of member 23 has engaged reservoir 5 and holds it against movement within ring 3 During the reverse movement of button 17, as indicated by line 0 of FIGURE 7, the member 23 returns to the position shown in FIGURE 5 and thus releases spring 10 to return to convex form, withdrawing pins 9 from engagement with casing members 1 and 2. During such movement of button 17, portion 14 thereof moving upwardly encounters portion 26 of the slot in casing member 1 and partially separates the casing halves as shown in FIGURE 6. Thereafter casing member 1 may be removed to expose ring 3 and its associated members.

I claim:

1. In a gaseous fuel powered cigarette lighter having in combination:

(a) a bandlike frame means mounting a gaseous fuel reservoir means and carrying a conventional fuel ignition control mechanism,

(b) separable casing means having peripheral flanges for enclosing said frame means, providing access to said ignition central mechanism, and allowing for the issuance of a flame through said casing means,

(c) means mounted on said frame means and having a portion extending exteriorly of said casing means for selectively securing said separable casing means in fixed relation to said continuous frame means and for releasing said casing means for separation from said continuous frame means, the' improvement according to which said means mounted on said frame means for selectively securing said separable casing means in fixed relation to said frame means includes a pushbutton disposed exteriorly of said casing means, a stem fixed to said pushbutton extending through slotted openings in said casing and frame means, and wedging means on the inner end of said stem for retaining said fuel reservoir in fixed relation with said frame means when enclosed by said casing members.

2. The gaseous fuel powered lighter as defined in claim 1, wherein said wedging means has curved wedging surfaces shaped respectively in order to engage the curved outer surface of said fuel reservoir in the closed position of said wedging means and to engage the curved inner surface of said bandlike frame in the open position of said Wedging means.

3. The gaseous fuel powered lighter as defined in claim 1, wherein said wedging means comprises a curved springblade having a portion carried by said stem which closely follows the inner curvature of said bandlike frame in the open position of said wedging means and a bent portion convex towards said fuel reservoir and shaped to engage the curved outer surface of said reservoir in the closed position of said wedging means.

4. The gaseous fuel powered lighter as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame means has a leaflike arcuate spring means fixed thereto, at least one locking pin secured to said arcuate spring means and registering with aligned openings in said frame member and the adjacent casing member whereby movement of said pushbutton advances the wedging member thereon to flatten said arcuate spring and advances said pin thereon through said registering openings in said frame and easing members to lock the casing member in fixed relation to the frame member.

5. The gaseous fuel powered lighter as defined in claim 1, wherein said slotted openings in one said casing members receiving said pushbutton stem have a rounded bottom corresponding to the said stem and at least one of the casing slotted openings has a constriction therein effecting partial separation of the casing sections as the push button is moved to release the locking pin from engagement with the frame casing members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,692,492 10/1954 Hepburn 431143 2,948,134 8/1960 Quercia 431143 3,303,672 2/1967 Quercia 431142 EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner 

